CAITLYN
It isn’t long after Joshua leaves that Amber turns up for her shift, and I've never been so glad to see my best friend.
“I need your help,” I say the second she walks through the door.
“What’s wrong? Has something happened to one of the pugs?” she asks.
“No, the dogs are fine. David came by earlier, and then not long after that, Joshua dropped by with lunch.”
“Tell me everything.”
Amber follows me to the break room, and as she takes off her coat and bag, I make us both a coffee.
We settle on the couch, and I tell Amber about David and his threats, and then how Joshua comes by and asks me out later tonight.
“What should I do? I’m scared if I start something with Josh, then David will retaliate in some way …
but, God, Amber. I can’t stop thinking about Josh.
We went out for dinner, and I was this close–” I hold up my hand, my thumb and forefinger just centimeters apart.
“--to inviting him in and, well, you know?”
Amber’s eyes widen. “Why didn’t you?”
“I don’t know? Shouldn’t I be taking things slowly? I like Joshua, but what if this is a rebound or something?”
“Does it feel like a rebound? Surely if it was just sex, or getting back at David for cheating, you wouldn’t be so affected by Josh?”
I bite my lip, remembering how close Josh and I were at lunch, his knees brushing mine. The way his muscles tightened when he was playing with the dogs. And oh God, the smile he gave me when I told him about the plans I have for the kennels. My knees feel weak just thinking about it.
Joshua and I have always been close, but I was always too wrapped up in David to see the perfect man right in front of me. Now the blinkers have been removed, I can’t get Joshua out of my mind.
“This is more than just some rebound fling,” I insist.
“Then you have your answer. If you really like him, you’re not moving too fast. Call him. Arrange a date for tonight,” Amber says with a reassuring smile.
“And what about David?”
“Fuck David. Not literally. But why do you care? He cheated. You broke up with him. The end.”
I sigh. “It’s not that simple. You know how much influence he has around here.”
“As much as the Braddock brothers?” My friend challenges me.
“Maybe … I don’t know. You know how ruthless the Morgan family is. I don’t want to do anything that would put me or Josh in danger.”
“Then keep things on the downlow. David is unlikely to find out, unless you and Joshua start hanging out at his club or something. Have dates at home.” My friend wiggles her eyebrows suggestively.
I feel heat flash through my body as I imagine inviting Josh to my place.
Amber laughs like a maniac. “I can tell by the way you’re blushing what you’re thinking about. Go get it girl. I can handle things here. Go home, cook a romantic dinner, and invite your man over.”
My apprehension and concern about David fades as I imagine being in Joshua’s arms, as I remember the feel of his body pressed against mine.
I need him.
I grin. “Thank you for talking some sense into me.”
Amber smiles back. “What are besties for? Now get out of here!”
I wash up the coffee mugs as Amber checks on the pugs, and lets them outside for their afternoon exercise, and then I get in my car and head home.
After giving the apartment a good clean, I pop into town to buy some steak and wine for this evening.
While I’m out, I message Joshua. “My schedule for tonight is wide open. Why don’t you join me at my place for dinner?”
A few moments later his reply comes. “I’d love to. Do you need me to bring anything?”
“No. Just you are more than enough.” I add a winking emoji and a couple of kisses.
Back home with the groceries, I start getting the apartment ready.
It’s a bit too early to start cooking yet, so instead I hang up some fairy lights, get some candles, and select the perfect mood music.
Then, I make some chocolate covered strawberries for dessert and put them in the fridge to set, before jumping in the shower.
My stomach flutters with excitement as I get ready, picking out sexy lingerie and a slinky black dress. I haven’t felt like this for years. Not since I first met David. If only I’d known then what I know now, I’d never have given him the time of day.
This with Joshua will be different. Things will be better, I tell myself.
I’ve known Josh for long enough that he isn’t hiding some secret dark side like David was. He isn’t into casual flings like some of his brothers are.
It’s just before seven when Joshua arrives at my apartment with a dozen red roses.
“These are for you,” he says, presenting me with the gorgeous bouquet.
“They’re beautiful,” I say, letting him into the apartment.
Josh looks around, then raises an eyebrow. “Well, it seems like I hit the mark with the roses. But I thought you wanted to take things slow?”
I place the bouquet down on the coffee table for a moment, and move in closer to Josh, looping my arms around his neck.
“I did, but then I started thinking … Wait, there’s something I need to tell you first. Can we sit down?”
“Sure,” Josh replies, offering me an easy smile.
We both settle on the couch. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything earlier, but David dropped by the kennels this morning. That’s why I was a bit uneasy when you came over. I’m sorry, I should have been straight with you from the start.”
Josh takes my hands and gives them a reassuring squeeze. “It’s okay. I understand all this is difficult for you. Are you okay? He didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“He forced a kiss on me, but no, he didn’t hurt me. At least, not physically. He made threats though. He made it clear he doesn’t want me to move on.”
I feel Josh tense beside me, and I know if I let him, he’d leave here now and beat the crap out of David.
I don’t want my ex coming between us, so I press on. “I was scared. I worried starting something with you might get us both into trouble.”
“I can more than handle David Morgan,” Joshua insists, and he isn’t wrong.
Even though David is in good shape, he’s no personal trainer, and Joshua could easily beat him in a fight.
And if you matched the might of the Morgan family against the might of the Braddock family, I know Joshua’s family would come out on top.
If it was a fair fight. And that’s the problem.
David will fight dirty.
“I’m sure you can, but you know what he and his family are like.”
“Ryan can be pretty ruthless too. He’d never let anything bad happen to any of us,” Joshua says fiercely.
“I know. I’m not doubting you or your family, Josh. But I don’t trust David. I know if he finds out about us, he’s going to do something in retaliation--”
“That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be together. I care about you, Caitlyn.”
“I care about you too, Josh. And I agree, there’s no reason we can’t be together. We just have to keep things on the down-low for a while. But I want to be with you. More than anything. I know this is fast, and all kinds of crazy, but I’m falling for you.”
Joshua closes the distance between us, pressing his lips to mine.
The contrast between the way he kisses me to how David forced himself on me is immediately apparent.
While Joshua is clear what he wants, he isn’t completely controlling.
His kisses, though ardent, are gentle and I know if I pulled away now, Josh would understand.
I don’t pull away though. I part my lips, welcoming Josh’s tongue as it swirls against mine, and press my body up against his.
Josh cups the back of my head, bringing us closer together, and gently lowers me back against the couch. His hands trail down my body, and cup my breasts, but before we get carried away, I open my eyes.
“Wait. I have steaks in the oven. I don’t want them to burn.”
Joshua chuckles and straightens up. “Okay, but I’ll be picking up where I left off after dinner.”
I feel the heat pool between my legs, and almost don’t care if the steaks burn or not!
Still, I didn’t go to all this trouble only to neglect dinner at the last minute. It takes all my willpower to stand up from the couch and leave Josh behind. I take the roses into the kitchen, and locate a vase, then check on dinner.
Everything is almost ready, so I open the wine and begin serving up.
“Anything I can do to help?” Josh asks, leaning against the door frame.
I look at him, and my heart flutters. He really is devastatingly handsome.
His dark hair is swept back, and just kissing the collar of his shirt.
The shirt itself is short-sleeved, showing off his rippling biceps, and the band of tattoos he has around his left arm.
What really dazzles me though are his eyes.
They’re a light, sparkling blue that makes me think of a cloudless, summer sky.
“You can go turn on the music if you don’t mind?” I say, as I pull the steaks out of the oven. They’re perfectly browned on the outside, and I stab a skewer through them to discover they’re a juicy medium-rare on the inside. “I made a playlist especially.”
Josh smiles, and heads back through to the living room, and a moment later, the sound of ‘Wicked Game,’ by Chris Isaak fills the air.
I enter the living room to find Josh sitting on the couch waiting for me.
“Thank you. This looks great,” he says as I hand him a plate of steak, accompanied with baked sweet potato fries, and chargrilled broccoli.
For a while, only the sound of the music can be heard, as talking ceases while we eat dinner. But as soon as I’ve taken the now empty plates to the kitchen, and grab the chocolate covered strawberries from the fridge, Josh starts talking.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier, about David and everything. I’m not scared of him, and I won’t let anyone come between us, but I like the idea of keeping this on the low-down for a while. We still have to get used to being more than just friends.”
I smile and refill our wine glasses. “Exactly. I’m quite enjoying this time; it being just the two of us, before all our friends and family get involved.”
Joshua laughs. “Yeah, I’m sure my brothers will have a thing or two to say about our relationship. I already told Tucker though. I hope you don’t mind?”
I smile. “It’s cool. I told Amber. She’s actually the one who encouraged me to go for it with you and forget about David.”
Josh grins. “I knew there was a reason I liked her.”
“I want things between us to be real,” I say, turning the conversation serious.
“I know we talked about this when we went out for dinner last night, but I don’t do casual flings.
I’m not suggesting we get married and start a family anytime soon, but that’s what I want eventually.
David always promised me we could, but I know now those were empty promises.
I don’t want to waste my time on something that won’t last.”
Joshua moves in closer, taking both of his hands in mine, and stares deeply into my eyes.
“All I’ve ever wanted was to find the perfect woman, settle down and have children.
And, from the moment we met, that perfect woman has been you in my mind.
I never thought we’d actually be together, but now that we are, I never want to lose you, Caitlyn. ”
My heart feels like it could explode with joy. I can see the sincerity in Josh’s eyes, and know his words aren’t empty. If I want a happy future, with marriage and children, Joshua is offering me exactly that. All I have to do is take it.
I raise his hands to my lips, and kiss his knuckles, before moving closer to envelop his mouth with mine.
This time, there’s no dinner we need to worry about not burning, and I relax as Joshua leans me back into the couch, his hands moving down my body to cup my breasts.
Josh’s mouth trails down from mine, as he kisses my neck and gently nips the pulse point on my throat. When he comes to the deep V of my dress, he pauses and sits up a little.
“This dress looks really good on you,” he says, his gaze clouded with lust.
I feel my body heat. No man has ever looked at me like the way Josh has. It isn’t just longing or need.
I know it’s so fast to be feeling this, but I can see the love in his eyes.
Josh pushes down the straps of my dress, moving the material until it pools around my waist, and exposing the lingerie I have underneath.
“Fuck, you look so hot,” he grunts, and I can feel the evidence of his arousal pressed against my leg.
“I wanted tonight to be special,” I say huskily.
“Every moment with you is special,” Josh replies, then his mouth descends, kissing down from my throat to my breasts.
He gently nudges the lace of my underwear aside and sucks my nipple into his mouth.
He rolls it between his teeth and tongue, until it’s hard, and my back is arching up off the couch.
“Need more,” I pant breathlessly, as he moves down my body, pulling off my dress and tossing it to the floor.
The lingerie continues, lace covering my core, which is burning with desire.
Josh trails his fingers down my body, swiping them across my mound, and he teases me through the fabric of my underwear.
He gazes deeply into my eyes as he strokes my clit through the lingerie, until my hips are bucking and my breath is coming out in gasps.
“Please, I need you,” I beg breathlessly.
Eyes locked with mine, Josh slowly peels off my lingerie, until I’m completely naked underneath him.
“Take me to bed,” I say, unable to take my gaze off him.
Josh lifts me in his arms, bridal style. He pauses for a moment to bow his head and capture my breast in his mouth. He sucks on the nipple until it’s hard, and then walks from the living room to my bedroom.
He lays me down on the bed, and I reach out for him, desperate to tear off his clothes. I move quickly, discarding his shirt, pants and underwear to the bedroom floor, until Josh lays naked beside me.
I trail my hands over his taut muscles, loving the feel of his skin under my fingertips.
“Make love to me,” I breathe huskily.
Josh moves in closer, wrapping his arms around me, and gently rolling me onto my back, with him nestled between my legs.
Josh stares down into my eyes, and opens his mouth for a moment, but then shakes his head. Before I can ask what, he was about to say, he plunges inside me, and fills me completely.
As Josh’s rhythm increases, I don’t have to wonder what he was about to say … I feel it too. I’m falling in love with him.